A phase II trial of low-dose gemcitabine and radiation alternated to cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil: an active and manageable regimen for stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Background: The addition of gemcitabine may be a reasonable way to enhance the activity of the alternating cisplatin/5-fluorouracil and radiation regimen considered the referring approach for patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck at the National Institute for Cancer Research of Genoa.

Methods: Three courses of cisplatin, 20mg/m(2)/day and 5-fluorouracil, 200mg/m(2)/day, days 1-5 (weeks 1, 4, and 7) alternated to 3 courses of radiotherapy at standard fractionation (weeks 2-3, 5-6, 8-9) up to 60Gy, and gemcitabine, 50mg/m(2) on monday of each week of radiation, were administered to 47 patients with stage IV (42 patients) or relapsed after surgery (5 patients), SCC of the oral cavity, pharynx or larynx.

Results: Eighty-five percent of the patients completed the planned treatment.

Clinical applications of autologous cryoplatelet gel for the reconstruction of the maxillary sinus. A new approach for the treatment of chronic oro-sinusal fistula.

The authors report their clinical experience regarding an original method of surgical repair of oro-sinusal communications. From September 1999 to December 2003, 13 patients (7 male and 6 female patients; mean age: 52 years, range: 24-68 years) underwent surgical repair of an oro-antral fistula by means of cryoplatelet gel: in three patients, it was mixed with bioglass granules; in two, it was mixed with Bioss; in three, it was mixed with particulate bone extracted by means of a bone grafter from the oral cavity close to the operative site, with addition of demineralised bovine bone; in three, it was used together with porose hydroxyapatite, and in two patients the cryoplatelet gel was used only. No postoperative complication was reported; primary wound healing was achieved within seven to nine days.

Comparison of DNA adduct levels in nasal mucosa, lymphocytes and bronchial mucosa of cigarette smokers and interaction with metabolic gene polymorphisms.

The recent introduction of biomarkers in population studies of lung cancer has improved the traditional epidemiological approach, especially in the detection of high risk groups. Many inhalable carcinogens form DNA adducts, an initial event in lung carcinogenesis, and therefore the identification of easily accessible sources of DNA for population studies is considered a leading priority in the field. In this study we compared the frequency of DNA adducts in samples from nasal brushing, bronchial biopsy and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in a group of 55 subjects, both smokers and non-smokers, undergoing bronchoscopy for diagnostic purposes.

13-cis retinoic acid in head and neck cancer chemoprevention: results of a randomized trial from the Italian Head and Neck Chemoprevention Study Group.

Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) after being treated radically remain at high risk for both recurrent and second primary tumours. 13-cis retinoic acid (13-cRA) was demonstrated to reverse pre-malignant lesions of the oral cavity and to reduce the incidence of second primary tumours in patients treated radically for HNSCC. Synergism between retinoids and interferon in tumoural cell lines have been demonstrated.

beta-carotene supplementation in patients radically treated for stage I-II head and neck cancer: results of a randomized trial.

This study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy of beta-carotene in improving survival (S) and in disease-free survival (DFS) and reducing the incidence of second primary tumors (SPT) in patients with a radically treated stage I-II squamous head and neck tumors. Eligible patients were randomly allocated to receive beta-carotene (n=104) or no treatment (n=110). beta-carotene was administered at the dose of 75 mg/day for 3-month cycles within one month intercycle intervals for a 3-year period.